WOMADelaide, Adelaide, March 8-11

Whether delivered with righteous anger or dreamy slo-mo serenity, the message, overwhelmingly, was peace. Peace, and justice: Melanesian and First Nations supergroup Wantok Sing Sing brought together 16 musicians including Pitjantjatjara elder Frank Yamma, all sharing songs, stories and language, the Morning Star flag of occupied West Papua flying free. Powerhouse Tunisian-American diva EMEL waved a Palestinian flag as she paced the stage in a billowing white gown, then sang full-throated feminist anthems while beating a bass drum with mallets.

Ukrainian folk quartet DakhaBrakha delivered a masterclass in political artistry, juxtaposing polyphonic harmonies and cello, drums and accordion styles gleaned from several ethnic groups with arresting black-and-white visuals of their country's war with Russia. Headlining the main stage on Friday – during a weekend heatwave that saw temperatures soar around 40 degrees Celsius – Afrobeat scion Seun Kuti led his late father's Egypt 80 orchestra through an incendiary set that included freestyle sax solos, the Fela classic ‘Zombie’ and impassioned political banter: “I'm from Nigeria, the belly of the beast,” he told the crowd with its gaggle of pro-Palestinian supporters. “I've been protesting [against injustice] for years.”

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (© Dianne Brooks)

Guesting with Kuti with bum-shaking verve, was Pongo, the Portuguese-Angolan kudoro star whose handful of solo performances each concluded with her in the crowd, surrounded by an exuberant dance circle. Joy, too, was everywhere, despite the heat and the real-world reminders: the farewell set from Brazilian demi-god Gilberto Gil, accompanied by his family band, had a liberating lightness of touch. Sampa the Great, there as a punter, turned up onstage with both Angélique Kidjo and Zamrock legends WITCH, whose lead singer Jagari Chanda later took part in an Artist-in-Conversation with Senegalese superstar Baaba Maal, deftly celebrating their musical similarities and differences.

Which is what WOMADelaide does so beautifully and will go the extra mile to do: “Maybe you don't realise what a special festival this is,” said Ian Brennan, introducing Rwandan farmer duo The Good Ones, whose sweet-voiced acoustic songs belied their weighty, war-prompted subject matter, and who came because, well, they were invited. “It is exceptional to the world, and it is important that it survives.”